F-35 Version 3.67 for Prepar3D V5 - New Installer

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EDIT - A small glitch has been detected in the F-35A PBR models (both in payware P3Dv4 and v5, v5 stock aircraft) so that if spoilers are deployed and rudder is fully deflected to the left, the right rudder detaches from the vertical stabilizer.
You can download a fix by clicking HERE - this is an XML file that goes into the panel/FCS subfolder of the F-35A - whatever version you have - and limits the movement of the rudder. SimMarket installer will be updated to V3.67.
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Prepar3D V5 is launching today and will include a (somewhat simplified) version of my F-35A/B/C models. However there are some changes in the default file names that generate an filename incompatibility with the payware version.
I have therefore created a new installer that will both change the names of the files affected and will also change their cross reference.
The new installer contains ALL the previous patches/updated.

IMPORTANT: the new installer embraces the "ADD-ON" approach of Prepar3D, that is the files of the add-on are NOT placed in the simulator folders, but rather are stored in a separate addo-on folder.
The default location of this add-on folder is \Documents\Prepar3D v5 Add-ons - this is where you should point your installer to.
All add-ons in this folder will be discovered automatically by the simulator and can be switched on and off at will.

PREPAR3D V4 USERS: despite its label, the new installer will also work with Prepar3D v4 and some users may prefer to use it as it also installs all the patches. You can do that, but, if you have previous versions of the F-35 installer, before doing that you should MANUALLY DELETE the F-35A, F-35B and F-35C folders in your SimObjects\Airplanes folder

SimMarket customer should have received an email notification. All the other major distributors of the F-35 are now out of business: if you were one of their customers and wish to receive the new installer drop me an email at indiafoxtecho@gmail.com with proof of purchase and (if you have one) your SimMarket account references (at it may be easier for me to provide a download link through their servers).

NOTE - IN MY INTENTIONS, THIS IS THE FINAL UPGRADE OF THE VERSION 3.00 F-35. I AM WORKING TO SEE IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO BRING THE F-35 TO THE NEW MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR.

A-4E/F/G/H/K SKYHAWK RELEASED AND PAINTKIT DOWNLOAD LINK

Just a quick heads-up to let you know that the single seater Skyhawk PBR Edition (for Prepar3D v4.4 and above) has been released through SimMarket and can be purchased HERE.

the paintkit for the single-seater Skyhawk is available. It is very similar to the TA-4 one, so if you have painted the twin seater it should be very easy to use.
Paintkit is availble from the side bar or by clicking HERE.

A-4 Single Seater Beta for P3Dv4.4/v4.5

As per my usual procedure, here is the post meant to collect the feedback from the A-4 Beta Testing. This post is (almost) constantly update with the "accepted" bugs and suggestions, color coded to reflect their status. "Accepted" means that I have understood what the testers reported, I could replicate it (or at least be sure this is not a misinterpretation or an error from the tester) and I have "accepted" it as a item to be addressed.

To apply for the Beta please send and email to indiafoxtecho@gmail.com with:
- SHORT description of your system: just CPU, GPU, RAM
- Exact version of the simulator you are running (A-4 requires at least P3D v4.4)
- If you have Tacpact installed or not
- SHORT description of real and virtual flying experience

SUBJECT OF THE EMAIL SHALL BE "A-4 BETA TESTING"

Precedence will be given to users and testers of the TA-4J as they are more familiar with the plane.

Color code

RED means that it the defect has been categorized as a major issue. This is typically a showstopper (operation of the aicraft is impossible or severely inhibited) and must be addressed before the product release.

YELLOW means that it is definitely an issue for the project, that should be addressed before the product release, but not as critical as a "red" issue

GREEN means that either the issue is very minor (and will not be noticed by most users), or the problem is non-existent (feature reported as bug) or that is was an red or Yellow issue that has been solved

BLUE means suggestions or ideas to improve the product

I am not sure if a flight manual will be available before the Beta is released, most probably not, but here are some peculiar things you need to know before operating the aicraft.

REPORTING BUGS
The preferred way to report bugs is to post a comment on this blog (so that everyone can see it). Otherwise, email messages with "TA-4J Bug Report" as subject are fine.
It is better, before posting, if you check if thebug you have spotted is already in the list below or in the comments.
Bugs or change request are evaluated ASAP and, if confirmed and accepted, added to the list below.

ACCEPTED BUGS AND CHANGE REQUEST LIST

This list was updated on 01/12/2019 21:00AM CEST
The latest Beta version is 1, released on 13/12/2019
Internal Beta (not released) version Beta 2 last built: 13/12

Total lines (excluding suggestions) 16
Current red lines 0
Current yellow lines 2 (of which 0 rejected for various reasons)
Current green lines 21
Current blue lines 0
Progress towards release: 91%

EXTERNAL VISUAL MODEL:
A4P3DEXT01 - Canopy animation missing - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DEXT02 - Smoke pipe exhaust missing from Blue Angels specific model - FIXED 12/12
A4P3DEXT03 - Remove guns from SuperFox models - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DEXT04 - Tail planes are not perfectly aligned (all models) - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DEXT05 - Minor glitch in windshield seal geometry - FIXED 09/12
A4P3DEXT06 - Added specific model for A-4G/K (with bent probe and spoilers but no hump) - FIXED 12/12

VIRTUAL COCKPIT:
A4P3DVC01 - Add missing canopy scratches - ADDED 01/12
A4P3DVC02 - Gunsight collimation mask does not work - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DVC03 - Request to animate the toe brakes - ADDED 07/12
A4P3DVC04 - Point of view too low - FIXED 05/12
A4P3DVC05 - Stick visibility does not work as intended… you cannot make it show once hidden. - FIXED 05/12
A4P3DVC06 - Captions on throttle panel incorrect - FIXED 09/12

FLIGHT MODEL:
A4P3DFMXX - NA

MISCELLANEOUS:
A4P3DMISC01 - Files are not signed for Tacpack multiplayer - SIGNED FILES 05/12
A4P3DMISC02 - Pocket checklist is for the TA-4J, not the A-4E/F...new pocket checklist is needed. - FIXED. Adapted pocket checklist to single seater.
A4P3DMISC03 - Flight manual is for the TA-4J, not the A-4E/F...new manual WIP. - FIXED 12/12
A4P3DMISC04 - Incorrect reference to TA-4 sound folder - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DMISC05 - Guns do not work as intended (check Tacpack code) - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DMISC06 - Inaccurate behavior of SideWinder missiles
A4P3DMISC07 - Sound dll configuration poiting towards the TA-4 folder - FIXED 04/12
A4P3DMISC08 - Israeli A-4 livery did not show as the numbering in aicraft.cfg was incorrect. FIXED 04/12 
A4P3DMISC09 - Tacpack STA5 release position is incorrect - FIXED 06/12
A4P3DMISC10 - Add smoke to Blue Angels modelA4P3DMISC11 - Create specific folder for upgraded A-4E with hump - FIXED 12/12

Eurofighter Typhoon Update to version 1.23 (with PBR support)

As (to some extent) expected with a major update, Eurofighter v1.22 release included a couple of bugs and highlighted some existing defects. The most annoying bug is the fact that the updated FCS code did not work as intended and caused the plane to pitch up requiring constant pilot action - I consider this a severe defect and given that probably I will not have much time in the next few days, I have decided to address it immediately with a further update.

Aside, some users reported a loss in frame rate after the PBR update: this is generally to be expected for PBR models, as the compiled model file (.mdl) is larger and uses more textures video memory. On my system, which has a GTX-1080, there is not a big difference - but from time to time you may have a slight delay in loading the PBR textures while switching between external and virtual cockpit views.

I have also heard "rumors" (meaning that I had no direct report of that) of users experiencing a drop in frame rates also with non-PBR models and also in previous updates. Frankly, since the modifications to the code were minimal, it is difficult for me to say if the frame rate drop is due to the Eurofighter update or by other reasons. The only thing I have noticed is that there was a missing texture (the fresnel ramp texture used in the canopy) - missing textures may reduce the performance a little...but this should be barely noticeable. Anyway I have included the missing texture in this update.


Last, please remember that if you prefer to use the non-PBR model, the files have been left there (they are not overwritten) - so you can activate/deactivate the PBR models in the model.cfg. This update contains backup version of the model.cfg for both PBR and non-PBR for your convenience. Just delete the model.cfg in the model folders of the Eurofighter_2000 and Eurofighter_2000T, and rename the backup files by deleting  the ".backupPBR" or ".backupNonPBR" suffixes.
Note that editing the model.cfg gives you also access to the "ubuntu" variants. These are model variants that replaces the FCS driven animations with "standard" ones. These animations are less accurate and realistic, but are compatible with multiplayer. "Ubuntu" models are provided in both PBR and non-PBR versions - please note that you have to use them with the proper cockpit model (PBR external model must go along with PBR VC and vice versa) - otherwise textures may be shown with a wrong color.


Here is the full list of changes:

VERSION 1.23
CHANGES WITH RESPECT TO PREVIOUS VERSION

- Replaced autotrim FCS code to solve the "pitch up" tendency of v1.22

- Replaced navigation lights effects for better compatibility with PBR models

- Fixed glitch that caused left and right wheel rotation animations were swapped

- Fixed glitch that caused barometric reading to disappear from HUD in certain instances

- Added model.cfg backup files for easier deactivation of PBR models

- Added missing Fresnel Ramp texture for canopy


32 bit update (for FSX-SE/Gold/Acceleration, P3Dv1, P3Dv2, P3Dv3) can be dowloaded
HERE or from the side bar

64 bit update with PBR support (only for P3Dv4.4) can be dowloaded HERE or from the side bar

Users of P3Dv4.0 to 4.3 can install the 64 bit upgrade but are should replace the model.cfg with non-PBR versions as described above.

NOTE: UNLESS MAJOR ISSUES ARE FOUND, THIS IS LIKELY TO BE THE LAST UPDATE WHICH SUPPORTS FSX

Eurofighter Update to version 1.22 with PBR (Preliminary)

NOTE: THE INITIAL RELEASE OF EUROFIGHTER 1.22 PBR HAD A SMALL GLITCH SO THAT "REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT" RIBBONS AND COVERS HAD A WRONG TEXTURE - FILES HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH CORRECTED ONES, ALSO PBR "UBUNTU" MODELS HAVE BEEN ADDED FOR MULTIPLAYER.

A couple of sleepless nights playing with Physically Based Rendering (PBR) on the Eurofighter Typhoon model and here we are with another update. For those who do not know PBR, it is a different rendering technique which is supposed to simulate the appearance of 3D models on the basis actual physical proprieties of the material they represent (such as "metalness", roughness etc.). This is a relatively new rendering technogy which, in some circumstances, can provide more realistic results with respect to the traditional techniques.
Recent videogames like Red Dead Redeption are a great example of this. In flight simulation, PBR was introduced by X-Plane, DCS and (almost unnoticed) by Flight Simulator World.
Note that PBR is a generic name for the approach, and each engine has its own implementation with different results and possibilities.
PBR has recently been introduced in Prepar3D V4 starting from version 4.4 - the implementation is quite standard: materials require an "albedo" texture (its base color), a "metallic" texture (which specifies the metalness and, in P3D, also the Ambient Occlusion and the smoothness of the surface), a "normal" texture (basically the old normal/bump map) and an "emissive" texture.
In addition, P3D now allows the developers to control the visual proprieties of a material with a LUA script during the simulation - which is pretty great as it allows a number of cool tricks.
NOTE THAT PBR MODEL WILL ONLY WORK WITH P3Dv4.4 AND ABOVE.

Here are "preliminary" models of the Eurofighter with PBR. While compiling these models I also fixed a couple of minor bugs. As result the update is provided in 2 versions: a 32-bit version for FSX users and users of P3Dv1, v2 and v3 and a 64-bit version which will only work with P3Dv4.4 (you must upgrade your P3Dv4.X to v4.4 or above to use it).

Here is the list of changes:

VERSION 1.22 WITH PBR UPDATE (BETA)
CHANGES WITH RESPECT TO PREVIOUS VERSION

- Added new PBR models, metallic, bump textures and scripts (Prepar3D v4.4 ONLY!)
- Fixed minor issues and typos in the FCS Autotrim code
- Fixed minor bug in display condition of the ENG FLAME warning in RMHHD
- Fixed miscellaneuos typos in the HUD code
- Fixed miscellaneous typos in the HMD code
- Fixed missing plane attitude graphics in the HMD
- Fixed missing emergency jettison icon
- Fixed missing X FER caption
- Fixed miscellaneous typos in the Tactical Systems code
- Added missing wheels and ground roll sounds
- Fixed glitch in gun funnel mode in 2D HUD view
- Changed HMD code so that A-A symbols will not park at the edge of the FOV
- Fixed minor glitch in panel backlighting
- Fixed multiple minor geometry glitches in virtual cockpit

The full update with PBR models for P3Dv4.4 can be downloaded by clicking HERE.

The partial update without PBR for FSX/P3Dv2/P3Dv3 can be dowloaded by clicking HERE.

Eurofighter Typhoon Update to Version 1.20

Here is a quite extensive patch for the Eurofighter Typhoon - this introduces a number of much requested changes including possibility to shoot Mavericks (as placeholder from the Brimstones), having 2D MFD panels and fine-control of the TOO target designation via FLIR.

Also, the files have been restructured so that now the 2-seaters have their own folder and have a different empty weight and fuel capacity.

Note that the patch will work with ANY version starting  from 1.10.

*** IMPORTANT - THE PATCH IS CONFIGURED BY DEFAULT FOR P3D V4! IF YOU ARE USING FSX, P3Dv1, v2 or v3 YOU SHOULD DELETE THE panel.cfg PROVIDED AND RENAME THE panel_32bit.CFG TO panel.cfg ***

CHANGES WITH RESPECT TO VERSION 1.20
- Remodeled the canopy frame to match perfectly with the outer model: this was not necessary (and does not even mean that it is more accurate) for P3D (or DCS - both sims allow VC models separate from the aircraft model), but it was required for X-Plane and AFS2.
- Changed HUD glass texture to have a dark puple tint
- Changed SSK code so that it is now possible to deselect a mode without selecting another one
- Changed HMDSS code to show all A/A tracks intead of the L&S track only
- Changed HMDSS code to show proper A/S reticle when in A/S mode
- Added keyboard shortcuts for fine control of the TFLIR A/S target
  SHIFT+Arrow keys allow fine control of the TFLIR A/S target location.
  A valid A/S TOO must be designated first.
- Added keyboard controls for radar range and modes as follows:
  If in NAV PoF -> UP/DOWN control PA range, LEFT/RIGHT select previous/next WP
  If in A/A PoF -> UP/DOWN control A/A radar range, LEFT/RIGHT -> undesignate/designate command
  If in A/S PoF -> UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT fine control of A/S target 
- Implemented Mavericks as "placehoder" for Brimstones (this was actually quite a lot of work as Tacpack does not support multiple ordnance on the same pylon...but since it was a much requested feature I decided to go for it) - NOTE The AGM-65E is laser guided: you will need a laser spot to fire the missile correctly. Also, there are issues if you mix StormShadows and Brimstones in the same loadout (I do not think it is a problem)
- Miscellaneous minor bug fixes
- Added an optional "ubuntu" model for the single seater which relies solely on standard animations (this is meant for use in multiplayer sessions with mixed aicrafts and prevents people flying with other aicrafts from seeing incorrect animations in the Eurofighter model) -> to activate this you have to manually edit the MODEL.CFG file in the Eurofighter_2000\model folder as follows: change the normal=EF2000 to normal=EF200ubuntu. Note that this must be
done ONLY by players which are NOT flying the Eurofighter as this disables the custom FCS animations.
- Added undockable 2D MFD displays
- Added separate folder and configuration file for twin seaters (to enable correct weight and fuel quantity)
- Replaced Stall Warning sound with one more appropriate for a fighter jet
NOTE: BY DEFAULT THE UPDATE IS CONFIGURED FOR A 64 BIT SIMULATOR (Prepar3d V4.0 and following).
IF YOU WISH TO USE THE UPDATE ON A 32 BIT SIMULATOR (FSX, P3Dv1-2-3) YOU MUST NAVIGATE TO
THE PANEL FOLDER IN THE Eurofighter_2000 FOLDER, DELETE THE PANEL.CFG AND RENAME THE PANEL_32bit.CFG
TO PANEL.CFG.


As usual, you can download the update from the side bar or by clicking HERE.

F-35 Lightning II update to version 3.52

NOTE - DOWNLOADS WERE SUSPENDED FOR TECHNICAL PROBLEMS (broken links/pointing to wrong files) - NOW EVERYTHING SHOULD BE OK! SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE!

Here is yet another update to the payware F-35, which will bring the release version to 3.52.
I am taking the chance to clarify a couple of things:

- Customers of "older" versions of the F-35 (meaning V1.X and V2.X, now freeware) are not entitled to the free upgrade to version 3.50. Only customers who have purchased version 3.X will get the update. So please do not ask distributors for the download links.

- AFAIK all the distributors have updated their links to version 3.50. If you still have difficulties in downloading the new installers from them, please let me know by dropping an email to indiafoxtecho@gmail.com

- Version 3.50 is the new "FULL INSTALL" baseline. Further updates, like this one, will be deployed through this blog and will require manual installation. So, please do not ask to distributors for version 3.51 or 3.52.

That being said, here is what is new in this release:

Version 3.52 - 20/08/2018
- Minor refinements to flight model
- Added MAP modes also in extended and full-screen portal modes for TSD1, TSD2 and TSD3 (courtesy of Roberto Leonardo)

- Added missing code for automatic anti-skid engagement

- Fixed graphic glitch in A-A target symbology
- Added possibility to enter negative values for VV in AP mode

- Miscellaneous code fix
- Better alignment of TSD symbology (but still far off in some cases)
- Added optional "Simplified" MFD:
  This is a simpler MFD that will occupy less memory and may generate a (minimal) increase in performance.
  To install this, open the SimplifiedMFDforP3D.zip file and drag and drop the F-35_MFD folder in your F-35A\Panel folder.
  You may want to backup the F-35_MFD folder first.
  This will eliminate some pages (WPNA, WPNS, CHCKLST, TSD2, TSD3 and PHM) and restrict the functionality of Others.

You can download the update by clicking HERE or from the side bar.


PS - I also noticed that, for a mistake, version 1.13 of the Eurofighter did not include the intended code for the antiskid...the mistake was rectified, so you may want to download the update again.

Eurofighter Typhoon Upgrade to version 1.13

Here is a (very) small update to the Eurofighter Typhoon - mostly meant to address a bug with the MODE 4 code (which is used as the Tacpack team identification) that made it impossible for users to enter the code and change teams. This patch will work with version 1.10, 1.11 and 1.12... and will bring them all to version 1.13.
I took the chance to introduce other very minor improvements, such as the possibility to use Indicated Air Speed in place of Equivalent Air Speed in the avionics. Here is the list of changes:

CHANGES WITH RESPECT TO VERSION 1.12
- Fixed a bug that prevented proper functionality of the MODE4 code (and consequently Tacpack team selection)
- Fixed minor accuracy bug in waypoint management and pre-planned target data entry (although the error was really small)
- Added code for wheel brakes anti-skid
- Added options to configurator:
  - Use IAS instead of EAS (this could be preferred by some users - note that the autopilot system uses IAS)
  - Open/close the canopy
  - Extend/retract the crew access ladder


Download the update HERE or from the side bar.

Eurofighter update to version 1.12

After the release of Eurofighter version 1.10 and the update to version 1.11, some other minor bugs have been highlighted and have been fixed. So here we go with (yet another) update to the Eurofighter.
Note: this update includes the changes in version 1.11, so you can apply either to update a fresh install of version 1.10, or you can apply to an installation already update to version 1.11. It will work on both the 32 bit and 64 bit version of the package.


CHANGES WITH RESPECT TO VERSION 1.12
- Fixed color match in Cyber Tiger repaint
- Fixed visual interference between pylons 4 and 10 and gear doors
- Changed Lift Dump animation: it will now retract automatically below 20 knots (as in real life)
- Fixed minor graphical switch in FUEL page (showing a minimal quantity of fuel in external tanks even if they are empty)
- Fixed bug preventing stopwatch from updating in the HUD in some instances
- Fixed bug preventing selection of automatic vs. manual waypoint switch
- Fixed bug causing VRS Tacan Tanker information to overlap with other HUD graphics in some instances

CHANGES WITH RESPECT TO VERSION 1.10
- Fixed bug preventing the laser spot designator from correctly pointing towards PP target
- Fixed bug preventing the targeting logic from correcly uploading GPS coordinates for PP targets in some instances
- Introduced the necessity to press FCS RESET button when engines are powered up to align control surfaces.
  This is not required if the flight is started in mid-air, or if the avionics are set with Control+Shift+R
- Extension of fuel probe now automatically selects the FUEL page on Right MHDD
- HUD now shows the "REFUELING" caption if fuel is being transfered by a Tacpack tanker
- Added Lift Dump animation: if aicraft is on the ground, throttles are idle and PoF is LANDING, Canards and Tailerons will move to the maximum drag position.
- Added 36th Stormo repaint courtesy of Tim Brennan
- Added RAF 100 Years repaint courtesy of Matt Kingscott
- Added Cyber Tiger repaint courtesy of Marius Krämer (https://edrm-repaints.com/)

As usual you can download it either from the side bar or from the link HERE.

Repaint Templates for Eurofighter Typhoon

As some of you are aware of, the Typhoon paintkit was lost in the ransomware attack I suffered from last year. So, in case you want to repaint the Typhoon, the closest thing I can provide you with is the set of uncompressed templates which are the ones I used to create the liveries.

Each texture is stored in a PSD file which contains the following layers (bottom to top):

- Blank texture with mockup color

- Generic UK texture

- Generic Italian texture

- Generic German texture

- Generic Spanish texture

- A "Mechanical Details" layer which contains the texture for the mechanical parts and details (these should not usually be repainted - exception being the refuel caps which are either dark grey or red).

- An "Usually Not Painted" layer which has all the details that usually do not have paint (e.g.radar radome)

. An Ambient Occlusion layer.

Color reference is as follows:

German Luftwaffe - FS35237 (this has a slight blueish tint to it)
UK Royal Air Force - BS381c-626 (aka Camouflage Grey or "Barley Grey")
Italian Air Force - FS36280 (Approximately - has also been quoted as FS36492)
Spanish Air Force - FS36231
Austrian Air Force - FS36492 (the same as the Spanish Air Force)
Royal Saudi Air Force - Two-tone camouflage - overall BS381c-626 with FS35237 on top

(taken from this very complete post: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/50168-typhoon-reference-information-updated-with-corrected-italian-typhoon-colours/ )

Download link is HERE

F-35 AVIONICS UPDATE TO V3.23 (P3D ONLY)

During the development of my new project, the Eurofighter Typhoon, some issues with the F-35 have been identified. Most notably, an issue with V3.20 and V3.21 caused the A-A missile seekers not to work as intended if slaved to a radar track.
This patch should solve the issue as a temporary fix, and bring some other minor improvements.
I have a middle-term plan to release an official update to the installer, which will bring also new features - but in the meantime you may want to install this patch.

CHANGE LOG
**********
Version 3.23
- Fixed a bug that prevented A-A missiles to work correctly in radar-slaved mode
- Fixed a bug in reporting FAB fuel quantities
- Increased in-flight refuel rate
- Changed visibiliy condition of landing light (light turns off when gear is retracted)
- Fixed a bug which prevented IFF Mode 4 automatic activation

As usual the update can be downloaded from the side bar, or by clicking HERE

F-35 LIGHTNING II AVIONICS UPDATE TO VERSION 3.21 (P3D ONLY) *UPDATE*

* UPDATE *
****
I have identified a small bug in v3.20 so that the right MFD was not completely functional. Also, power up sequence of the MFD restored to left first, right second. Patch files updated to v3.21
****

As some of you are aware of, some months ago I lost all the source files of my flight simulation projects - this makes very difficult for me to update them as frequently as I would like to - but still I am doing my best in order to fix as many bugs as possible, and increase the overall quality of my projects.

Specifically, for the F-35 I am (slowly) rebuilding the cockpit models  - so that I can make some significant improvements to the VC enviroment. I have no firm schedule for this, as the Eurofighter Project has the priority. Still, I am not abandoning the F-35 and here is another update to the avionics.

As for the previous avionics updates, this is for P3D only. I will try to find the time to apply some of these changes to the FSX version too - although it is not officially supported as you know.

CHANGE LOG

Version 3.21
- Fixed bug in version 3.20 which prevented the right MFD to work as intended
- Restores MFD power up sequence: left first, right second.
- Fixed minor bug in the MFD Power up sequence

Version 3.20 (from version 3.16)
- Fixed a bug in all previous version that made it so that Air-to-air track no.3 was rendered in a wrong position on the radar screen
- As reported by user Ariel, changed the power up order of the MFD screens. Now the RIGHT MFD will power up first (on Battery power only) and the LEFT MFD will power up second (on generator power).
- Changed ENG page so that FF, HYD1 and HYD2 are reported as digits rather than "bars" - this should be the same as real life (reported by user Ariel)
- Changed FUEL page so that fuel quantities in tanks are reported in pounds rather than in gallons - again this should be the way it works in real life (reported by user Ariel)

Other changes already present in version 3.16 (with comparison to version 3.11)
- Fixed minor bug in FCS code
- Solved minor graphic flaw when the Function Access Buttons are SWAPped
- Restored "virtual speed brakes" indication in FCS page
- Implemented FAB-fuel function - fuel quantity, is now reported as magenta bars in the FAB section, Joker and Bingo are reported as white lines.
- Fixed position of transfer pumps in the FUEL page
- IPP switch now also drives engine starter (in reality, the switch has three positions: OFF-AUTO-START and should be spring loaded to the AUTO, in the sim it is just OFF or START)
- Left half of the MFD works on battery power only, Right half does not (as in reality) - when the generator is not working, the right MFD will turn off
- Increased startup time for both halves of the MFD to 15 seconds (as in reality)
- TFLIR and DAS now require generator power to run
- A/S and Tacpack radars will not work unless engine is running

You can download the update from Google Drive from the side bar on this blog or by clicking HERE.
The patch must be manually installed - to do so, simply drag and drop the folders in the zip file(namely F-35_MFD, FCS an Tactical) into the F-35A\panel folder.
Note that this must be done only in the F-35A folder BUT will affect also the -B and -C variants: the avionic code is aliased from the -A version for all the variants.

Eurofighter Project (and a couple of notes on DCS and other things)...

 

 

A quick post to officially introduce the new Eurofighter Typhoon project I am working on to people which may not have a Facebook account. The main scope of this project is to create a detailed Eurofighter model for use in FSX / P3DV2 / P3DV3 environment - including support of Tacpack for weapons functionalities. This is not an easy task as most of the data on the Typhoon is still classified. I managed to get my hands on some very detailed avionics documentation, but performance data is hard to find (and will be guesstimated). I also had the chance to test the EADS rapid-deployment simulator of the Typhoon... which was very interesting in terms of handling (although I have no idea on the actual dynamics accuracy as it is a simulator conceived for area familiarization).

Here are the main features I am working on:
- Highly detailed visual models (external and VC)
- Realistic (although guesstimated) flight model and dynamics
- Realistic avionics (at least for HUD and MFDs), and pilot interface including BAe Striker HMD Helmet
- Support for Tacpack weapons (AIM-9L/AIM-120/GBUs)
- Realistic procedures based on real-world checklists

Aside, I'd like to implement also other features...but these are kind of "nice-to-have" things...but I cannot confirm them at the moment:
- Support for IRIS-T and ASRAAM missiles
- PIRATE implementation (most likely for P3Dv2 / v3 only)
- "Naggin'Nora" implementation
- Custom sound package based on real-life audio samples

At the moment, the external model is almost complete...but still unfinished.
I do not think we'll have a Beta before this summer... so release may well be in August/September.
...below are some other screenshots of the latest build.

Now...some other things...

DCS Compatibility:
I have received several emails and messages asking for DCS support and long story short DCS support will not happen, at least in the foreseeable future. For one, I do not have the time. Then DCS does not offer an open, royalty-free and publicly accessible SDK and requires developers to be highly qualified and acceptance of very stringent requirements.
Note that this does NOT mean that you are entitled to try your own conversion and share them. Sure, you can do whatever you want for your personal use, but converting and than sharing the models and artwork or other stuff is not allowed (see the reasons why below...).

Other Simulators...and exporting my models:
I have also received requests to support other simulators (e.g. FlightGear and XPlane)...but again, I lack time and resources. Then there are a number of users that converted the data of my files and want to share them on the Internet. Again... THIS IS NOT ALLOWED - and it is explicitly forbidden in the documentation of my projects.
The main reason for this is not that I am jealous of my work or anything like that...but the fact that most of my project contain data and artwork from a variety of sources: there is a lot of work from yours truly, but there is also stuff from contributors and (most important) vendors. My models or parts of them are often based on commercial data which I paid for and it is quite expensive. You cannot use them in your projects - as it is a copyright infringment. Full stop.

Project updates:
As usual, I am working on updates to all of my projects... I have spotted a minor flaw to the latest T-45C package, and I'll relase an update which will also contain some special files for cockpit builders. The Military Avatars package and the F-35 also need some bug-fixing... although they have very minor flaws, and there are no red-alerts.
Sooner or later I'll also need to release the long-awaited Viking update.

Future projects:
A quick recap of other stuff I'd like to work in future... but God knows when I'll have time to work on it. And then I am an atheist... so this is more a "wish list" than actual projects:

MB.339 - I have an extrenal model 60% ready, but needs textures...and then there is no VC at the moment. On the good side, flight model and sound package could be reused from the MB.326.

E-2 / C-2 Package - I will soon have some news on this project...

F-14D Tomcat 2016 - I am not happy yet...

So...as you can see there is A LOT of stuff going on. Much more than what I can actually handle... So we'll see. For now Eurofighter Typhoon is the top priority.

Projects updates... and season greetings!

First, thanks a lot your your continued support to my projects - as you may know this has been a very special year for my flight simulation efforts, as I finally established my own registered "company". This is still just a hobby for me, but having proper fiscal organization allows me to invest more money and embark in more ambitious projects - the new F-35 is the first result of the new organization, and, for example, the new visual model is a direct outcome of my decisions. Making it a freeware project was simply not an option - development costs being way too high for freeware.

So, what is next? Here is the list of the projects currently on my drawing board:

NEW PROJECT - Eurofighter Typhoon:If you follow my Facebook page, you know that I have been doing some work on an Eurofighter model. The vast majority of the documentation on this aicraft is still classfied, but I believe I have enough information to create a decent simulation. I did some work on the external model (which is shown in the picture above) and the VC - and it looks good so far. I'll continue working on this to check if there are unforeseen showstoppers... but so far so good.
This is meant to be a payware project - and hopefully should land on the same quality level and price range of the F-35 (and possibly a little more accurate in terms of avionics). The main development platform will be P3Dv2.5 (for the moment...may be I'll move to V3) but it should be backward compatible to FSX (possibly with the exception of PIRATE/TFLIR imaging).

NEW PROJECT - Aermacchi MB.339 (ON HOLD)
An obvious extension of the MB.326 project, the MB.339 is one aicraft I still intend to do. I did some work on a preliminary external model - which needs texturing and a decent VC. One of the targets of this project is to achieve a very high visual efficiency in terms of frames-per-second. At present I have no time to work on this...and the project is on hold. In my intentions this would be a freeware project.

NEW PROJECT - Grumman E-2/C-2 (Feasibility stage - ON HOLD)
I also made a feasibility study on the E-2 and C-2 aicrafts - they are probably the only carrier aicrafts for which we do not have decent models... A payware project would be doable, although I do not have time for this right now.

PROJECT UPDATE - F-35 Lightning IINeedless to say, I am continuing to keep track of the bug reports and suggestions... as of today, we have not yet reached the critical mass to release another update...but if I'll find some time in the next few weeks I will update the project anway.

OTHER PROJECT UPDATES

T-45C Goshawk - Although this project is officially closed, I have been using it as testbed for various things...so my private build is actually a little bit better than what you guys have... In particular there are a number of small visual improvements that some of you may like.

F-14D Tomcat - Still not happy with it. And as much as I appreciate Aerosoft's F-14X, I believe that a new, and better, Tomcat is possible.

S-3B Viking - Yes...I know. I promised an update for it a long time ago. It is still unfinished, and IMHO is the worst of the bunch in terms of quality. But still...may be one day or another I will find the will to complete it. Or at least release the AI tanker model...

MB.326 - Very few bugs reported... I am not completely happy with it, but I am not sure I will have much time for it.

So, looks like the 2016 will be quite busy... we'll see.
In the meantime thanks once again for your support, feedback and help...and BEST WISHES for a Merry Chirstmas and a Happy New Year!

IndiaFoxtEcho Visual Simulations - Future Plans

 

 

If you follow my Facebook page, you may be aware of that IndiaFoxtEcho Visual Simulation is now a registered company at the Chamber of Commerce in Genoa, Italy.

This is a big (and relatively expensive) step for me, but it is the only way forward to continue producing high-quality add-ons.

This also does not mean that I will abandon or discontinue freeware project. But the thing is that flight simulation development is getting more and more detailed, time consuming and expensive... and I do not want costs to stop me from doing the planes I like to the quality level I like.

Therefore, if a specific project requires non-negligible costs... it will be payware.

I am currently developing the following two payware projects:

 

F-35 LIGHTNING II VERSION 3.0 for Prepar3D v2.5+

This is quite a big updgrade to the existing F-35 project, and it will Prepar3D v2.5/v3.0 specific - with many advanced functions provided through Vertical Reality Simulations TACPACK.

I have recently decided to include the F-35C too in the package. Its main features are:

 

- All versions featured: F-35A (CTOL) - F-35B (STOVL) and F-35C (CATOBAR)

- High detail external models, derived for professional 3D data.

- Upgraded cockpit models with remastered HD textures.

- Upgrades to MFD functionality and interface following the latest publicly available information.

- Upgrades to the flight model

- Custom Avatar model for Prepar3D

- Integration with P3Dv2 radar service

 

Tacpack specific functionalities are:

- A/A and A/S weapons functionalities

- RWR, ECM and ECCM functionalities

- TFLIR / DAS functionalities

- HMDS functionality including off-boresight target designation and "X-ray" vision

 

I *HOPE* it will be ready before the end of November.

Price has not been set but it should be in the 20-25€ range - it will be sold through the usual flight simulation online shops.

 

MILITARY AVATAR PACKAGE for Prepar3D v3

 

This is a small package containing a variety of military themed Avatars, with basic animations.

Main features are:

- Military pilot Avatars with HGU-33 and HGU-55 helmets, in fast-jet flight gear, and olive drab, kakhi and navy blue jumpsuits.

- Military troop Avatars (unarmed) with a variety of camouflages (mostly NATO camouflages)

- Support for walking/running/crouch/swim and fall animations (currently "jump while run" not supported

 

This will hopefully be ready in a week or so.

Price has not been set but it should be in the 5-7€ range - it will be sold through the usual flight simulation online shops.

 

Other projects I am working on (actual projects sitting unfinished on my HD):

 

T-45C upgrade for Prepar3D v3.0

Just a couple of small fixes to add some minor features for P3Dv2.5+ / P3Dv3 support

 

Aermacchi MB.339

This would be a natural evolution of the MB.326... currently the 3D mesh is 75% done... but needs a VC and texturing. I have no idea on when and if I'll find the time to complete it.

 

Eurofighter Typhoon

In my intentions this would been my main projects for 2016... I did some modeling work, but it is unfinished.

 

S-3B Viking upgrade

Still unfinished, would include a number of small fixes as well as an AI model...

 

Other projects being evaluated (only in my mind):

 

F-14D Tomcat upgrade

...I am still not happy with it. Bringing it to the next level may be expensive...we'll see.

 

C-2 Greyhound

...just because it would be easily doable with moderate expenditures.

So... for the moment it is only F-35 and Avatar package. Then we'll see. The key point is still, and will always be, to have fun and create cool stuff.

F-35 project update

AL-1 in flight over Cameri... just a few hours after the first flight in real life

 

F-35B BK-01 - First British aicraft - Britain will buy only the STOVL version (although the F-35C was considered at a certain point)...

WIP picture of the "see through" feature of the HMD. As in real life, pilot can choose to project DAS imagery on the helmet, and have it aligned to the real world... as result, the pilot can look through the cockpit as if aicraft it was transparent. In real life the current HMD are monochromatic green.

Livery for the R.A.A.F. - I have already made at least a livery for each nation who has an aircraft actually flying in real life.

In the past few months I have been posting much more on Facebook than on this blog - it is a faster way to share information and collect feedback very quickly. Still, this blog is still the main reference for my activities - and here is a quick update for the F-35 Lightning II version 3.0.

First and foremost, I am working with an accountant to check the viability of a payware distribution. Sorry for that, but the development costs have been really high (few thousands euros...)... and will be higher if I'll decide to add the F-35C (at the moment, only the F-35A and F-35B are featured).
I still need to figure out the potential revenue, expenses and taxes... if it turns out that the project is at loss...well, I'll release it for free. It will probably be in the 20€ area price range.

The project at the moment is being developed uniquely for Prepar3d V2.5 (and above) and utilizes some of its unique features intensively (e.g. radar visualization service and render-to-texture features). Weapon functionality is provided by Tacpack. I do not rule out a FSX version in future - but, if it will ever be done, I will need to get rid of some of the new features.

The visual model is hopefully a good improvement over the previous version - better, more realistic textures and additional 3D detail. I like the new model much better.
I have made some substantial changes to the flight model, too, and it seems to match the (few) data currently available (there are some clear numbers circulating in official PowerPoint slides about subsonic and transonic acceleration).
The cockpit model is (slightly) more detailed, it has been upgraded to the latest cockpit configuration and features higher resolution textures.
The biggest change is probably in the avionics - the MFD has been vastly rewritten and it should be much closer to the real deal. Still a far cry from the real deal, but probably it is by far the closest thing to the real F-35 a consumer can buy.   
The HMD has been slightly updgraded too, with corrections to the symbology....and the "X-ray vision" feature unique to the F-35 (i.e. the ability for the pilot to look though the aircraft).

All in all I am quite happy with it - although I think I need another month to complete it.
A Beta version may be ready in 3 weeks or so... I will make a post on how to apply for it.

Gumman F-14D release 2.40

Here is a further update to the F-14D Super Tomcat... several minor improvements mostly in the cockpit. I am still not terribly happy on the whole package... but this should be an improvement over the previous releases in any case. Aside please note that this has been primarily developed in Prepar3D v2.4 and v2.5... it is fully compatible with FSX, but, for example, the glass scratch effect does render differently (and does not look that good in FSX IMHO)...but you can remove it at will.
By the way, please have a look at the readme file and in the "optional_features" folder - there you will find instructions on how to enable/disable some features - including the scratch effect and the working mirrors (which only work in P3Dv2).
VERSION 2.40
March 8th, 2015
NOTE: THIS VERSION HAS BEEN DEVELOPED PRIMARILY FOR PREPAR3D V2.X
- Added animated compressor to external model
- Pilot and RIO figures disappear from visual model if their weight is set to zero in the load manager
- Crew helmet visors are down by default (animated with the main canopy)
- New ASI/Machmeter model
- New Altimeter model
- New RMI indicator
- Improved gauges background graphics
- Improved gauges digits display
- Improved accuracy of some gauges
- Improved minor details in the cockpit
- Redone backlighting in the VC
- Fixed ADF frequency display
- Fixed clock animation
- Improved throttle lever animation (now with notches for A/B and STOP postion...Control+Shift+F1 to move to STOP)
- Added canopy glass scrathes (may be a little overdone in FSX... see below if you wish to remove them)
- OPTIONAL FEATURE: Possibility to add working mirrors in P3Dv2
- OPTIONAL FEATURE: Possibility to remove glass scratches
- OPTIONAL FEATURE: Possibility to remove ALL the reflections in the cockpit

For the moment the file will only be available on this blog - just to make sure everything works as intended. Download link is on the side bar as usual.

Projects update and future plans...

 

Time for a quick update on my various projects... lately my job kept me extremely busy, so I had very little time for flight simulation, and the progress on mt designs have been very slow. Still most of them are in good shape, and, while slow, the progress is steady.

Aermacchi MB.326
If you follow my facebook page, you should know that the two seater version is almost finished. Basically the only missing thing is the weapons functionality, which should not be too long to implement. I believe we could have a complete beta by the end of November, and a release before (or around) Chirstmas.

Eurofighter Typhoon
Airframe modeling in progress...30% done

Lockheed S-3B VikingViking fans, don't worry. I have collected feedback from the initial release, and I have already implemented some of them. I'll release an update as soon as I can find the time.

Grumman F-14D Grumman
Much like I did for the Goshawk, I would like to "close" this project for a "final" release. This would ideally include all the improvements applied to the Goshawk - including better graphics for some instruments and better glass reflections. Again, the problem here is to find the time.

Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II
...same mantra here. I have a bunch of improvements in the works, but could not find the time to release them. Following the recent successful sea-trials of the F-35C this project is getting some more attention, so I should be

Boeing T-45C GoshawkThis project is closed and over... but still there are few very minor things I would like to fix...so a further update is not ruled out completely.

So...here is the situation. I'll keep you posted on the progress.

...and F-14D Tomcat upgraded to version 2.35.

Yet another small upgrade to the F-14D Tomcat. I do not see major improvements in the FSX environment...it may be finally worth moving to Prepar3D v2.X as main development environment, maybe. Anyway, changes are as follows:

VERSION 2.35
July 23rd, 2014
- added ADF needle in MFD HSD
- fixed HSEL/CSEL section in MFD ADI
- fixed and updated flight manual
- added code for automatic launch bar retraction
- added 2D panels (MFD 1, 2, 3 and PTID - note: PTID must still be turned on in the RIO cokpit. 2D displays are controlled as touchscreen)
NOTE: as pointed out by many users, some soft keys are not working. This appears to be a mouse click area detection bug in the FSX engine, since the code has been checked several times and found to be completely correct.
Also, moving the point of view inside the cockpit will make them work... so sorry if it detracts from the experience but I see no wat to solve it.

Download from the side bar as usual.

...and here we go again. F-14D Tomcat Version v2.33

Sorry but I could not resist, and here is another update for the F-14D Tomcat. Thing is, while I was writing the code for the Viking (and for the T-45C update) and following feedback from the users, I realized that there were a couple of missing features in the Tomcat and Goshawk avionics that could be implemented with no effort.

So here we go:

VERSION 2.33
June 27th, 2014
- added ILS needles in MFD ADI
- added ILS needles in MFD HUD
- added VOR bearing needle in HSI
- added Course deviation scale in HSI
- added VRS Carrier support to the HSI (shows as Tacan)

As usual, you can download the file from the side bar.
The T-45C Goshawk update will be held until the new Tacpack update is released.
The S-3B Viking will be released most probably in a couple of weeks.

By the way, I do not have time to upload the file to Avsim and Flightsim (takes more than one hour and sometimes it fails from home!)...so, in general, I will not do it in future.
Should you want to upload the file to any repository, you are welcome to do so - provided the site is free.  In any case, the only place guaranteed to have the latest version is this blog.